Selective accurate-mass-based analysis of 11 oxy-PAHs on atmospheric particulate matter by pressurized liquid extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography and magnetic sector mass spectrometry

An innovative analytical method based on high-performance liquid chromatography and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization magnetic sector mass spectrometry was developed and optimized to determine trace concentrations of 11 compounds belonging to the group of the seldom-analyzed oxy-PAHs (phenanthrene-9,10-dione, chrysene-5,6-dione, benzo[ a ]pyrene-4,5-dione, benzo[ a ]pyrene-1,6-dione, benzo[ a ]pyrene-3,6-dione, benzo[ a ]pyrene-6,12-dione, 4-oxa-benzo[ def ]chrysene-5-one, pyrene-1-carboxaldehyde, benzo[ de ]anthracene-7-one, benzo[ a ]anthracene-7,12-dione, and napthacene-5,12-dione) on airborne particulate matter (PM 10 ). The mass spectrometer was operated in multiple ion detection mode, allowing for selective accurate mass detection (mass resolution of 12,000 full width at half maximum) of the oxy-PAHs characteristic ions. Optimization of both the vaporizer (450 °C) and capillary temperature (350 °C) resulted into instrumental detection limits in the range between 7 (benzo[ a ]pyrene-1,6-dione) and 926 pg (benzo[ a ]anthracene-7,12-dione). The advanced pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and the more traditionally used ultrasonic extraction (USE) were compared using ethyl acetate as an extraction solvent. For both techniques, high recoveries from spiked quartz fiber filters (PLE, 82–110%; USE, 67–97%) were obtained. Recoveries obtained from real PM 10 samples were also high (76–107%), and no significant matrix effects (ME) on the ionization process (enhancement or suppression) were found (ME, 89–123%). Method limits of quantification (S/N = 10) were in the range between 2 and 336 pg/m 3 . This method was used to analyze real PM samples collected at several urban and rural locations in the Antwerp area. For the first time, concentrations for Belgium are provided. Concentrations of individual oxy-PAHs are in the lower pictograms per cubic meter to 6 ng/m 3 range. High concentration differences between individual compounds are found as exemplified by the 75th percentile of the phenanthrene-9,10-dione and benzo[ de ]anthracene-7-one concentrations being a factor of 4 to 22 higher compared with the other target oxy-PAHs. Figure Analysis of 11 oxy-PAHs on airborne particulate matter (PM 10 ).